Dlamini-Zuma - Ping showdown likely to see compromise for AU top job

In the spirit of compromise, African Union Commission Chairperson Jean Ping of Gabon is likely to retain his position for another six months, but he will not be able to run again, according to sources behind the scenes at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

AFP

African leaders met behind closed doors on Monday morning to vote for either incumbent Jean Ping, or his challenger, South African Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

The vote went four rounds, and Ping held a slight lead in the first round. Dlamini-Zuma won by one vote in the second, and Ping won again by a slight margin in the third round.

Although Dlamini-Zuma failed to clinch the vote, Ping did not garner the two-thirds majority that was needed to secure his place as Chairperson.

African heads of state remained locked in the conference centre for five hours to debate the outcome.

Members of the South African delegation reportedly danced earlier when they realised that Ping had lost, causing others to understand that Dlamini-Zuma had won.

South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said that there was nothing to stop Dlamini-Zuma from running again when the Chairperson seat comes up for a vote in July at the AU Summit in Lilongwe, Malawi.

“If SADC [Southern African Development Community] comes and says ‘she must stand again’, she’s prepared to do so,” said Nkoana-Mashabane.